Amate painting

Interior design and decorating blog.

And also a deer. This work was painted by a man from San Agustin Oapan, a Nahua community in the state of Guerrero Mexico. Oapan is famous for this kind of folk art painting both on bark and originally on pottery. The paper, called amate, is made by people who belong to the Otomi ethno-lnguistic group and live in the region of San Pablito, Puebla. The paper is made from fig tree back using prehispanic techniques and technology.

Amate painting from Cuernavaca, Morelos in Mexico

For years now, I've kept these colorful little paintings that I found while sorting through my late grandfather's house. I did not know what they were or where they are from, but I had a hunch that they were a travel souvenier... and I loved the brown handmade paper they are painted upon! Finally, on the never-ending quest for middle school art lessons in my new teaching placement, BINGO! I found a lesson for "Amate Bark Paintings," and noticed that the resources looked suspiciously like the…

Behind the Design Wednesdays: Every week Tea writes about our designers’ inspiration for our current collection of clothing. For more Behind the Designs click here. Amate bark paper-making is a Mexican craft that started in pre-hispanic Mexico. The craft risked being replaced entirely by more modern European paper production. When amate paper started getting attention …